However, our Metro is in a state of crisis.

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1.2+ Million Hours Lost Annually Due to Delays

Declining Ridership

Metrorail Daily boardings

Customer-reported problematic experiences have increased by more than 300% since 2013

What’s Causing Metro’s Problems?

Metro’s problems are rooted in systemic challenges related to governance, funding, and operations, all of which are guided by the WMATA Compact.

Governance

Failures related to WMATA's governing structure are central to other issues plaguing the system. Absent significant reforms to Metro's governance, other reform efforts will be unsuccessful.

Funding

Metro funding comes from both rider fares and direct subsidies from the jurisdictions it serves. The lack of dedicated funding has continued to put pressure on riders and regional jurisdictions to fund rising costs.

Operations

Aging, crumbling infrastructure and deferred maintenance have led to an increasing number of safety incidents and a pronounced decrease in the reliability of the system. Under the current operating environment, WMATA is unable to take advantage of innovative solutions that would increase efficiency and productivity.

What is the Solution?

Install a temporary Control Board to stabilize Metro while addressing the issues of governance, funding and operations that are inhibiting the functionality and safety of the system.

The Status Quo is Unsustainable

The Time to Act is Now!

Learn more about the Federal City Council’s work on Metro. See our detailed approach.

Show your support for Metro reform

The Federal City Council has been working to develop a position and strategy on Metro reform. The purpose of this initiative is to execute a thought leadership effort with the goal of conditioning Metro stakeholders with thoughtful rationale and ideas for how to address the complex challenges beleaguering WMATA.
FC2 is building a coalition of supporters to demonstrate the public’s interest in Metro reform.
Join our coalition and to show local leaders that you support reform.